Cutting mechanism



Jan. 16, 1951 w. J. NOLAN 2,538,425-

CUTTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 27, 1946 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 INVENTOR -W/LL/AM NOLAN Jan. 16, 1951 w. J. NOLAN CUTTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1946 INVENTOR WILL/AMOJ' Nam/v BY 7 F ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 16, 1951 CUTTING MECHANISM A William J. Nolan, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Goss Printing Press Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,714

Thepresent invention relates to cutting mechanism and more particularly to mechanism of the rotary type adapted to cut sheets from a travelling web. j

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse cross-sectional view of a pair of rotary cutting cylinders and associated mechanismcomprising a typical and illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower of the cutting cylinders said view being taken along line 33 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the cutting blade for the lower of the cutting cylinders.

The present invention has for an object the provision of a novel and improved rotary cutting mechanism which may be used, for instance, in the cutting of sheets from a travelling web as in rotary printing presses although the mechanism is of general application and utility and by no means limited to the field mentioned. Another object of the invention is the provision ofimproved cutting mechanism in which the material 3 Claims. (01. 164-68) ciation of guiding means around the cylinders.

Such uncut portions of the web or sheet as remain as a result of the interruptions in the cutting blades are extremely small and are either torn during the cutting operation or during the later handling of the paper, contributing meanwhile to the guiding of the sheets.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings there are provided a pair of cutting cylinders I0 and Il carrying, in the conventional manner, longitudinally extending cutting blades 12 and I3 respectively, seated in suitable grooves in the bodies of the cylinders. A plurality of cutting blades to be severed is guided to and through, the cutinterrupted to accommodate links of the chain guiding means, and the cutting is thus substantiallycompleted by the blades despite the assocould be provided on each cylinder but the embodiment illustrated has but a single blade on each cylinder.

The cutting mechanism of the present invention may be provided upon a rotary printing press, as one example of use, wherein a travelling web it coming from the printing mechanism is directed through guides l5 and [6 between cylinders l0 and I l to be cut into sheets by cooperating blades I2 and I3. The cylinders Ill and II are preferably driven rollers, as is the case in conventional mechanism of the type.

The sheets cut from web M are to be directed between guides I! and is when they are caught between the adjacent cooperating reaches of tapes I9 and 20 for forwarding to such other operations as may be desired or delivered immediately. The means for guiding the web and cut sheets to and through and beyond the cutting cylinders comprise upper and lower endless chains 23 and 24 cooperating with the cylinders l0 and H respectively. As best shown in Fig. 3, each chain is of conventional construction having overlapping link members 25 connected by pins 26 and with spacing members 21 surrounding the pins to keep the link members at either side properly spaced apart.

A plurality of chains 23 and 24 are provided for cooperation with each of their respective cylinders, the chains being spaced apart along the lengths of the cylinders. For instance, the chains may be spaced at about five inch intervals along each cylinder. As shown in Fig. l of the drawings the chains 23 are directed around sprockets 38 and 3| each of which is. provided with suitable teeth 32 to engage the chains, between the links thereof. The sprocket 3| may be journalled in any stationary part of the mechanism as, for instance, a frame, but the sprocket 30 is preferably mounted for rotation at the end,

As shown the chains 23 and 24. are also po sitioned on their respective driven cutting cyliri-i ders l2 and, l I, the cylinders being formed with suitable sprocket teeth llfto'cooperate with the chains; At places where th'e"l'ongitudinallyex-- tending cutting blades intersect with the sprocket teeth formations on the cylinders," a tooth 4B is omitted to accommodate the blades. at these places are formed as shown in "detail'in Fig. 4 of the drawings, having a pairof spaced slots fill to receive the links of thechains, and an. intervening blade portion 42 filling the space [between the links of the chains.

portions of the cylinders H3" and H are formed withan even number of teeth it (including the portions 42 in the number) and the chains likewise are provided with an even number of links so that the blade portions 42 may always be positioned between the same chain links.

The more Widely spaced links are preferably arranged to fall in the slots 4! and enclosed portions 42,-as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, although the machine could be constructed in the opposite arrangement.

It will be apparent that the sprocket teeth All can be eliminated if desired, and the chains 23 and 24 merely guided in the grooves in cylinders l6 and l l and sprockets 3| can be suitably driven to drive the chains.

The material l4, upon leaving cylinders Ill and H, is directed between guides li and I8 and forwarded by tapes l9 and 26 which are directed around smooth or roller. portions of the sprockets 3! for the chains 23 and 24.

The blades l The sprocket With the cutting mechanism shown and described it will be apparent that sheets cut from the web of material 14 are positively guided by the chains 23 and 24 to the guides I! and I8 where they are forwarded to such other operations as may be desired. The leading edge of the material [4 is thus prevented from following the rotation of either of the cylinders It and H as is its-tendency,and bunching or jamming of the material at the entrance of guides ll and I3 is prevented. It will be apparent that small'tabs claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a pair of cutting cylinders, cooperating cutting devices mounted on said cylinders, parallel elements adjacent said cylinp ders forming a guideway to receive material rrom between said cylinders, a pair of endless flexible members each passing around a respective one of said cylinders, first guide rollers one for each 4 of said flexible members positioned adjacent said parallel elements said'fiexible members passing over respective ones of said guide rollers providing adjacent reaches for, guiding material from between saidcutting cylinders to said guideway. a pair of other endless flexible members each passing around a respective one of said guide rollers and providing adjacent reaches for engaging and carrying material along said guideway, and second guide rollers one for each of said first endless flexible members to be engaged thereby, said" second guide rollers being adjustably mounted for varying the distance between the axes thereof and the axes of said cutting yli d s,

'2llfi combination, a pair of cutting cylinders, cooperating cutting devices mounted on said cylinders, parallel elements adjacent said cylinders forming a guideway to receive material from said cylinders, a pair "of endless chains each'passing around a respective one of said cylinders, said cylinders having toothed sprocket portions to receive said chains, guide rollers of smaller diameter than said cutting cylinders positioned in opposed relationship to each other adjacent said parallel elements having toothed sprocket portions to receive respective ones of said chains providing adjacent reaches for guiding material from between said cutting cylinders to saidguideway, and 'a pair of tape members each passing around a respective one of said guide rollers and providing adjacent reaches moving at a higher rate of speed than said chains for engaging and carrying material along said guideway.

3. In combination, a pair of cutting cylinders, a longitudinally extending cutting blade on'each cylinder said blades cooperating to cut sheets from a Web of material passing between the cylinders, parallel elementsadjacent said cylinder forming a guideway to receive the sheets from between the cylinders, a pair of endless chains each passing around a respective one of said cylinders, said cylinders having toothed sprocket portions to receive said chains and said blades having relieved places to receive links of said chains, guide rollers of smaller diameter than said cutting cylinders positioned in opposed relationship to each other adjacent said parallel elements having toothed sprocket portions to receive respective ones of said chains providing adjacent reaches for guiding sheets from between said cutting cylinders to said guideway, a pair of tape members each passing around a respective one of said guide rollers and providing adjacent reaches moving at a higher rate of speed than said chains for engaging and carrying sheets along said 'guideway, and other guide rollers one for each said chain adjustably mounted for varying the distance between the axes thereof and the axes of said cutting cylinders; 7

WILLIAM J. NOLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Adams July 1897 

